24/10/2005
UU lead research into baby growth
How babies grow in the womb may be important in predicting growth and development throughout childhood and into adulthood, researchers at the University of Ulster have said.
The Coleraine-based team have been investigating how weight at birth predicts how much muscle children aged between 6-8 years have.
The researchers, headed by Professor Barbara Livingstone, will be presenting their findings at an international conference in Vancouver, Canada, next week.
Using the latest technology, they have been able to make accurate measures of body composition in 100 children.
"Although growth in the womb is important, we have also shown that being active as a child is of even greater importance than being born small," Prof. Livingstone said.
"We are very interested to see whether birth weight continues to predict changes in growth as children go through puberty into adulthood, as this could be crucial for health in later life and preventing diseases such as diabetes and heart disease."
Prof. Livingstone's team are currently making accurate measurements of the make-up in teenagers who took part in the original research study. She said that they are eager to hear from anyone who may have taken part in the original study seven years ago.
"Our biggest problem is tracing people who took part in the first part of the study as young children. Obviously they are now at secondary school and many families have moved since the study started in 1997," she concluded.
If you took part in the original study and are interested in taking part in the follow-up study, Prof. Livingstone can be contacted on 028 7032 4471.
(MB/SP)
The Coleraine-based team have been investigating how weight at birth predicts how much muscle children aged between 6-8 years have.
The researchers, headed by Professor Barbara Livingstone, will be presenting their findings at an international conference in Vancouver, Canada, next week.
Using the latest technology, they have been able to make accurate measures of body composition in 100 children.
"Although growth in the womb is important, we have also shown that being active as a child is of even greater importance than being born small," Prof. Livingstone said.
"We are very interested to see whether birth weight continues to predict changes in growth as children go through puberty into adulthood, as this could be crucial for health in later life and preventing diseases such as diabetes and heart disease."
Prof. Livingstone's team are currently making accurate measurements of the make-up in teenagers who took part in the original research study. She said that they are eager to hear from anyone who may have taken part in the original study seven years ago.
"Our biggest problem is tracing people who took part in the first part of the study as young children. Obviously they are now at secondary school and many families have moved since the study started in 1997," she concluded.
If you took part in the original study and are interested in taking part in the follow-up study, Prof. Livingstone can be contacted on 028 7032 4471.
(MB/SP)
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